Pike Place Market has been a trademark for the city of Seattle for over 110 years and is one of the oldest consecutive running farmers markets in the country. It not only provides fresh produce, but it also provides a voice for several farmers, craftspeople, and other merchants. Below is a guide of the must-visit places to check out on your next trip to Pike Place Market.
Probably one of the most well-known sites in the market, this popular 50-foot wide tourist attraction has been a local landmark since 1993. People waiting for shows at the popular Unexpected Productions (see number 6 on this list) began sticking gum on the walls to pass the time. Theatre workers eventually gave up scraping the gum off when city officials considered it a popular tourist attraction. Since then, the wall has been deep cleaned once, in 2015, to preserve it and prevent erosion. But, once it was clean, it wasn’t long before it was restored to its former glory. All the more reason to bring gum with you!
Located at the main entrance of the market, this world-famous fish market is known for its crowd-pleasing antics involving their own produce, giving them the nickname “the fish guys.” So, you immediately know the fish is in good hands. A fresh catch of the day is chosen from a vast selection, and fish is being playfully tossed back and forth by the fishmongers, from the fish stand to the wrapping station from behind the counter. Choices of fish include Wild Alaskan Halibut, Whole Cooked Dungeness Crab, Alaskan King Crab Legs, and Wild King Salmon.
A place in the Market where anyone can release their inner child in a candy shop, this beloved shop has been refusing to grow up since 1961, located two floors down from the Fish Market. The first thing that’s bound to catch anyone’s eye is the rare collectible items in the big glass case. For real, you can’t not be in awe when you get a look at what these guys can do to send their customers to childhood heaven.
Once you arrive at the market, you may find bronze pig tracks on the ground below you, Named after the first prize pig at the 1985 Island County Fair, this bronze mascot of Pike Place Market set foot right in front of the red-lettered sign in 1986. Her cousin Billie the Pig soon followed her in 2010. She has been, in their words, “bringing home the bacon” for the Market Foundation, raising over $200,000 to support the Market food bank, senior center, health center, daycare/preschool, and heritage house. And, legends have it, as they say, “if you rub Rachel’s snout and make a donation, you’ll have good luck!”
The only thing better than the food at this restaurant is the spectacular view of Elliot Bay behind the sign that comes with it. Though it could be an original landmark, Matt’s didn’t open until 1996. Packed with whiskey, cocktail, and imaginative food menus, the clientele has only increased in the 24 years Matt’s has been standing.
If you want funny entertainment put into your next visit to the Market, why not go see an improv show! This next hotspot is Seattle’s oldest, and most successful, improv theatre company. Although it was founded in 1988, after the regular production of TheatreSports was playing on Monday nights, it didn’t set foot into the Market until 1991, performing to sold-out crowds. Over the last 10 years, they have produced “three ongoing shows, over forty original season shows, and over forty long-form improvisational shows.”
Going back to releasing your inner child at a candy store, check out this candy store. Or, in their case, boutique. Opening in 2006, this wonderful confectionary is home to their variety of fudge, truffles, chocolate-covered strawberries, and so much more. On one hand, the sweets are so beautifully made, they’re almost too pretty to eat. But, on the other hand, they could make someone want to eat the whole store. In a personal opinion, besides Indi Chocolate, no chocolate in the Market is quite like theirs.
One of the more modern shops to open at the Market, Shug’s lies right in the heart and won’t not put a smile on your face upon entering. It’s the perfect place to chill after a long day of checking out the beauty that is Seattle and Pike Place Market and get a cold sweet treat. Just one visit brings back all the nostalgia of your favorite ice cream sundaes and floats.
This next place is not your typical chocolate shop. Sourcing cocoa beans directly from farmers and organizations, they provide fantastic products such as spice rubs, tea, and skincare made from cocoa butter. Not only that, but they have their own coffee shop! Oh, and you can taste the authenticity in their chocolate.
With several beers from around the world chosen with love, this independently-ran brewery, opened and ran by Charles and Rose Ann Finkel, has run with the passion for all beer types, and the love they have for each other since 1989. Pike Brewing, they say “has always been a place for talented brewers to hone and expand their craft.”
Of course, when there’s a big marketplace guaranteed many visitors, you got to have fresh produce. And that’s exactly what this family-owned stand provides for Pike Place Market, love, quality and all. With a very strong presence and a 6 day/week delivery service, the quality of their fruits, veggies, and more gives its visitors their own fresh taste of the Market.
You can’t miss the entrance for this next tourist spot at the Market, because it’s just like entering the Big Top. While it is a single wall exhibit, featuring a life-sized portrait of Robert Wadlow, the world’s tallest man, the promise is still there as it is the most popular exhibit in the Market. Visitors of the museum “drop quarters into coin boxes, peer through stereoscope-style viewing slots, and are rewarded with views of various giant shoes, including another size 37 brogue worn by Robert Wadlow.”
If you do get a chance, this grand ballroom-like venue has been providing decades worth of music and is a great place to go see a live band. It is a rather specious venue, if the mosh pit isn’t quite your thing, with a roomy bar area. Notable artists that have visited the Market include but are not limited to Maroon 5, Sir Mix-A-Lot, The Weeknd, Macklemore, and many more.
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